Image by MGN.

SEA ISLE CITY — The dredge "E.W. Ellefsen" has arrived and is currently in Corson's Inlet, where it will pump approximately one million cubic yards of sand over the next two months onto Ludlam Island.

Beach-fill in the north end of Sea Isle City at 1st Street is expected to begin in the first half of January, 2012. After the contractor completes the north end (between 1st and 15th Streets), their plan is to relocate the submerged pipeline (that travels from the dredge to the beach) from the north end to a point around 40th Street. Work will then be completed from 40th to 52nd Street.

After 40th to 52nd Street, the city intends to have the beaches from 30th to 40th Street filled. The work between 30th and 40th
Streets is optional at this point, and the city will have this section filled if there is available funding. While this looks favorable now, it should be understood that payment for beach-fill is based on the quantity of sand placed acquired.

In the event that the beaches in the base portion of the project (from 1st to 15th and 40th to 52nd) require additional fill, those areas must be completed to the designed guidelines in order for the city to be reimbursed by FEMA. The surveys of the beach were recently completed, and in the next few weeks the city, state, and contractor will review the data and determine the quantity of sand needed for beach-fill through those surveys, which will allow us to determine our ability to award the option.

Based on the current schedule, the downtown beach-fill will take place in the latter part of January through mid February. The beach-fill operation runs 24/7, and does not stop for holidays.